Child abuse spikes as U.S. economy flounders

[UpInArms]

Source: Reuters

BOSTON (Reuters) - One 4-month-old baby was shaken so violently she needed surgery. Another 3-week-old suffered fractured ribs from abuse at home. A 9-year-old diabetic boy stopped receiving proper treatment for his condition.

Those cases reported by Boston hospitals are part of a spike in child abuse in United States during a recession that has driven some families to the brink and overwhelmed cash-strapped child-protection agencies.

<snip>

The medical university where she works treated 19 children with head injuries consistent with beatings or being severely shaken last year, including four who died, up from just a handful the year before. Victims averaged about 7 months old.

"Around December I saw much more than I usually see. I usually get one consult a month. And we were quadrupling that," she added. "I'm seeing more severe physical abuse. In general there's a lot more stress right now in society. And it comes out on the kids. They are the weakest link."

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE53F00Y20090416?sp=true

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:(

[Gormy Cuss]

1. Lots of anecdotes point to increasing violence as the economy tanks.

Some people are unraveling. :(

[Wizard777]

3. It's possible America is starting to short circuit. The Depression was ugly times too.

Some people were committing suicide. If the hard times didn't bring your family closer together. They would destroy it. It's times like these Americans find out what they're really made of and what's really important.

[CoffeeCat]

2. I bet the child abuse rate decreased today...

...because most of the abusive types were out teabagging each other today and too busy
to power up on and exploit the children in their lives.

[ThomCat]

9. Child abuse cuts across political lines.

A lot of "good democrats" abuse their children too. And Independents, and apathetic non-voters. Family violence doesn't care how you vote.

:(
And everyone is being stressed by this economy.

[w4rma]

10. How do you know that it's even across political lines? I'll bet it isn't. (nt)

[ThomCat]

11. I didn't say that it's Even across lines.

I don't know the rates. I said it crosses political lines. I'm sure rates vary somewhat, but only somewhat. As opposed to the response above that said that child abusers are republicans.

There is certainly no shortage of child abuse in blue states. I've personally known gay people who were subject to violence as kids, and their parents were not republicans as far as I know.

Blaming child abuse on republicans would be nice. But that's sloppy thinking, and wishful thinking.

[w4rma]

16. Not sloppy thinking. The left tends to support laws against abuse, the right tends to oppse them.

In fact, you're the one engaging in sloppy thinking by making unfounded assumptions that it isn't the case the the right tends to abuse people more than the left.

[ThomCat]

20. Are you assuming that democrats don't

commit robberies, don't trespass, don't assault, or commit other crimes too? DAs in Blue states must sleep all day with all the crimes that DON'T get comitted because democrats don't commit crimes! :eyes:


It's nice to be a cheerleader for your team, but once you cross over to fantasy land that your side is composed of saints to are all morally better than the people on the other side then you fall into the type of Us vs Them thinking that lets you demonize "them" as less than human, whomever "they" happen to be.

That type of thinking lets people think that non-americans are less moral too. Or non-whites, or non-christians. Are there any other groups you don't belong to that you think are less moral than you too?

[w4rma]

22. Are you attacking me with a strawman by using an absolute? Come back when you aren't. (nt)

[ThomCat]

24. You're making rediculous, undsubstantiated assertions.

Come back when you have some research and know what you're talking about. Otherwise, you're just making shit up.

[w4rma]

27. Why don't you come back when you aren't making unsubstantiated assertions and have some research. nt

[ThomCat]

30. Ha!

What unsubstantiated assertions am I making? That child abuse crosses political lines? :rofl:

Shall we ask any district attorney? :)

If you're going to make the ridiculous statement that any crime is correlated with political affiliation then YOU are the one that needs to come up with the evidence. Claiming otherwise just shows that you really don't have a clue.

[w4rma]

31. Just like if you say it isn't then you also need to come up with the evidence. (nt)

[ThomCat]

35. No. The assumption that all people are equal, and essentially

the same is the base from which we start. It is the legal base in our nation too. You're the one with the theory that Republicans are morally inferior.

[w4rma]

39. The political assumption is that "all men are created equal". After that, people change. Some into

abusers. Your assumption is a political assumption. I make no assumptions.

[ThomCat]

41. You're assuming that republicans change into child abusers

and democrats don't. That's the original claim you've been trying so hard to defend.

[Dappleganger]

21. As a former GAL volunteer

Guardian ad Litem in my county, did this for about 4 years and spent a lot of time doing interviews and observing/testifying in family court--child abuse more directly correlates with the level of education a family has than anything else. Typically, the more educated a person is then the better problem-solving skills he/she has as well. Those who are better problem solvers tend to not use violence as a means of letting off steam or trying to force someone to do something. Less money problems tend to help as well.

I can assure you that in my own personal experience in my county (highly republican, with spots of democrats here and there) that political party had little to nothing to do with childhood abuse cases which I either observed or had knowledge about. IOW, there are plenty of democrats AND republicans beatin on their kids out of frustration or otherwise. People are people.

[w4rma]

23. And the supporters of which political party prefers violence over negotiation? (nt)

[ThomCat]

25. So you prefer your fantasy over the experience of people

who deal with the issues?

:eyes:

It must be nice living that deep in fantasies, where you can paint people with broad brushes because you disagree with their politics.

I hope you don't work in any kind of public service where you're expected to judge all people equally and fairly. Clearly you can't.

[w4rma]

26. Do you know the difference between case studies and actual experiments? I don't think you do. (nt)

[ThomCat]

28. That's out of left field.

I'm sure I have more scientific background that you do. We could have a pissing contest some time and compare resumes. But you're the one supporting Coffeecat's ridiculous statement that child abusers are republicans. You lack any credibility right now. :)

[w4rma]

32. You're sure? You don't even know me. Pretentious and presumptuous. (nt)

[Dappleganger]

29. I'm discussing my real-life experiences

it's quite clear that it is limited and anecdotal, but real nonetheless.

Unfortunately violence permeates every political party. When you work for the public in the judicial system for families, you have to check your political idealism at the door because it just isn't pragmatic. Get back to me when you've done some time in a similar area of work and we'll discuss YOUR experience, ok?

[w4rma]

33. That's nice. But, you're real-life case studies don't mean anything throughout the nation.

I'm sorry, but your sample size is just too small.

[ThomCat]

34. It's far more than you have got.

[w4rma]

38. No. It's not. (nt)

[Dappleganger]

36. Where is YOUR sample size?

You are the one who made the allegations so the burden of proof is upon you.
So far you've not made one coherent post in this thread.

[w4rma]

37. Actually I was responding to an allegation. The burden is on you to defend it. (nt)

[ThomCat]

40. You're defending an allegation

that republicans are morally inferior and the ones that commit child abuse, unlike democrats.

Perhaps you should read up-thread and go see what you have been defending. :)

[Dappleganger]

43. I think this poster jumped on a bandwagon

that looked good but has no idea what it's really all about.

Since that poster has nothing to add to the topic with any kind of substance, it's obvious there is no more discussion and only a pissing contest.
Since I don't have a penis obviously it's not for me. :)

[w4rma]

44. There you go again, building strawmen out of absolutes. (nt)

[Dappleganger]

42. I was not the one who made the allegation.

You were defending someone who did, with nothing to show for it.

Still, burden of proof is on YOU.
At least keep people straight is in this thread.

[ninety lives]

13. If you shove rants about "socialism" down your children's throats

You are coercive at best, and you've probably smacked your kid around a few times.

[get the red out]

14. I'd bet you are right about that!

Not that Democrats never abuse kids, but it is basically institutionalized in the Christo-fascist belief system; that's the difference.

[firedupdem]

4. Really sad. We have to be on the lookout and help our

friends and families as much as possible.

[OhioChick]

5. This is so disturbing to me.

:(

[Stuart G]

19. The very worst side affect of this economy..very bad..nt.

[Captain Hilts]

6. The economy is 'foundering' not 'floundering'. It's sinking. Not directionless. nt

[Lilith Velkor]

8. I never knew that.

I always thought 'floundering' meant flopping around like a fish out of water.

Don't flounders live on the bottom, anyway?

[Captain Hilts]

17. Yes. But to 'founder' is to sink. 'Floundering' is being directionless.

I guess I'm being repetitive.

But you'll wow friends if you use the maritime term.

[neuvocat]

7. Just another gift from the "morals and values" crowd.

[ninety lives]

12. I can't wait until there are no more taxes.....

Then no one will pay for all of these abused and neglected children!

Survival of the fittest!

:banghead:

[Joe Bacon]

15. Not a peep from the "right to lifers"

Once Freddy or Freida Fetus pop out, they don't care what happens. And when bad things DO happen, well, it's "God's Will"...

[Name removed]

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